I OPINION

Soviet Bias

Continued from Page 22

ly due to a job Emanuel had
held at a chemical plant from
1962 to 1964. The Lurie fami-
ly has been fighting for the
human rights of Soviet Jews
throughout their years as
refuseniks.
Judith reiterated what we
had heard several times dur-
ing the trip: The situation for
Soviet Jews, contrary to
glasnost and official public
statements, is worsening.
Judith had recently returned
from a two-month visit to
Israel and the United States
and felt that the situation
had declined since then. She
considered the newly-opened
Jewish Cultural Center a
sham.

Judith is organizing a
demonstration of Jewish
Women Aganst Refusals for
Dec. 7 and a hunger on
Human Rights Day Dec. 10.
She asked us to spread the
word when we returned to the
States for corresponding
demonstrations in America to
refocus atention on this
unhappy situation. Only
through pressure from the
West, Judith feels, will she
and the other refuseniks be
allowed to leave. And
although record numbers are
expected to be granted exit
visas this year, many more
must stay in Russia to endure
a very oppressive existence. ❑

I NEWS I

Housing Still Scarce
For Many Ethiopians

CHARLES HOFFMAN

Special to The Jewish News

A

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24

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bout one-third of the
8,000 Ethiopian Jews
who arrived in Israel
during Operation Moses five
years ago still lack perma-
nent housing,, according to
Absorption Ministry figures.
The Ethiopian Olim
Association, which recently
conducted its own survey,
says that one third of all
Ethiopian immigrants, in-
chiding those who came
before Operation Moses, are
still living in temporary
quarters. About 16,000
Ethiopian Jews have arrived
in Israel in the past 10 years.
The Absorption Ministry
spokeswoman said that 300
families from Operation
Moses are still living in
regular absorption centers,
and that 400 families are liv-
ing in "convertible" absorp-
tion centers. The latter are
empty public housing blocks
that were supposed to be
used as temporary absorp-
tion centers. Due to a shor-
tage of funds, however, the
authorities did not transfer
the occupants to other flats,
and left them in the tern-
porary buildings, whose
condition has deteriorated
greatly.
The purchase of perma-
nent flats for the Ethiopians
in absorption centers
stopped a few months ago
due to a financial squabble
between the Treasury and
the Jewish Agency, which is
supposed to fund part of the
housing costs.
The Absorption Ministry
confirmed the association's
claim that morale in the
Kiryat Arba absorption cen-

tre is very low. Some 40
families are desperate to
move out.
The physical condition of
most absorption centers
where Ethiopians are hous-
ed is particularly bad
because the Jewish Agency,
which runs the centers, has
cut maintenance funding
over the past year.
The ministry
spokeswoman said that even
if funds to purchase flats
were available, moving the
Ethiopians out of the centers
is a slow process. It is hard to

It is hard to find
reasonably priced
flats where the
immigrants want to
live, she said.

find reasonably priced flats
where the immigrants want
to live, she said. Most want
to be in the center of the
country, near other Ethio-
pians, and many have turn-
ed down flats in Haifa,
where few Ethiopians live.
The association survey
said that a large portion of
the young men serving in
the army who have no fami-
ly in Israel do not have a
place to live.
"On weekends and holi-
days they are forced either to
remain at their bases or take
all their possessions with
them wherever they go," the
association survey said.
They get higher salaries
than other soldiers, but this
is not enough to pay the rent
for a flat of their own, the
association said.

❑

Jerusalem Post Foreign Service